David Jolicoeur: De La Soul rapper and founder dead at 54
David Jolicoeur, a founding member of the pioneering rap collective De La Soul, has died at the age of 54. The rapper went by the stage name Trugoy the Dove.
The group brought a fresh new impetus to hip hop when they emerged in the late 1980s, bringing a more eclectic mix of sounds to the genre and reinvigorating its social edge. They increased the complexity of layering samples to create a richer soundboard for the rapping.
As Cypress Hill’s B Real said of Jolicoeur: “His music will allow him to live in our hearts and minds. But not only was he a great musician but he was a great human being. He meant a lot to us.” Calling him a “legend of hip hop music and culture.”
The pivotal record in achieving this status was their 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising. The record included the hits ‘The Magic Number’ and ‘Me, Myself and I’ helping to secure a number one spot in the R&B/Hip hop chart.
Sampling disparate tracks from the likes of Steely Dan, Johnny Cash, The Turtles and Hall & Oates, the album coupled pioneering technology with radical positivity to bring a bright new wave exhibition to rap. Alongside Posdnuos (Kelvin Mercer) and Maseo (Vincent Lamont Mason Jr), Jolicoeur changed the game with De La Soul.
As of yet, no cause of death has been announced for the 54 year old, however, in recent years he has spoken openly about suffering from congestive heart failure.
He has been remembered fondly by the rap and wider music community for both his artistry and his positive influence in the wider world.
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